As Tanzania concludes its fourth multiparty elections, Richard Whitehead considers the victory of the CCM (Chama Cha Mapinduzi) – the long-time incumbent party – and the changes in the country’s political composition revealed by the elections.

The United States’ policy to double agricultural exports shows that its government 'has learnt nothing' from the last food crisis, a problem reflected in the dramatic increase in that country’s trade-distorting farm subsidies between 2007 and 2008. The US’s recent official report on its farm subsidies for 2008 to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) shows that trade-distorting subsidies doubled from the previous year, while permissible 'green box' subsidies reached a historic high.

Following his recent kidnapping in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Jonathan Beale recounts his troubling experience.

The Paris Club of creditor nations has cancelled $7.35bn (£4.6bn) of debt owed by the Democratic Republic of Congo. The deal was agreed following a meeting between representatives of Paris Club members and senior figures from the DR Congo government. In a statement, the Paris Club said the figure represented more than half of DR Congo's foreign debt.

Military officers in Madagascar say they have taken over the island nation. Col Charles Andrianasoavina, who made the announcement, was one of the officers behind a coup that brought Andry Rajoelina to power last year.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum urges the African Commission to call upon the Government of National Unity:
- to fulfil its obligations in terms of the African Charter on the rights and freedoms of its citizens;
- to implement fully the provisions of the GPA and accept and implement various recommendations from civil society;
- to effect genuine electoral reforms in line with the Declaration by the African Commission on principles governing democratic elections in Africa before the conducting of any new elections.

A researcher from the Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa (ACT-Southern Africa) traveled by road in public transport from Namibia (Windhoek) to Zimbabwe (Harare) via Botswana through the Mamuno border post. The journey to and fro Zimbabwe was an eye-opener on the nature and extent of corruption bedeviling traffic police officers in the three countries. In a nutshell, the following findings were made:
- Zimbabwean traffic police officials are more corrupt than their counterparts in Botswana and Namibia.
- The governments of Namibia and Zimbabwe could be losing significant amounts of revenue due to corruption in which police officers are involved.
- Transport business operators are losing income due to bribes paid to traffic police officers.
- There were no indications of corruption by traffic police officials in Botswana.

Officers from Bulawayo police’s law and order section say calling for the ratification of the Convention Against Torture and the abolition of torture is offensive and causes disharmony. Chief Superintendent Patrick Moyo summoned representatives of the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (the Forum) over billboards and street pole signs calling for the abolition of torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. Despite having agreed to a meeting for 12 November, the Forum representatives found most of the billboards already destroyed.

Six independent UN experts have condemned the recent public execution, by firing squad, of two teenage girls in central Somalia, saying the executions are the latest manifestation of the 'appalling human rights crisis that is plaguing the country'. The six experts called on the parties to the conflict 'to immediately refrain from committing acts of extrajudicial executions, torture, stonings, decapitation, amputations and floggings as well as other human rights violations, including with regard to freedom of religion'.

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) and ARC International are deeply disappointed with yesterday’s vote in the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly to remove a reference to sexual orientation from a resolution on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions. The resolution urges States to protect the right to life of all people, including by calling on states to investigate killings based on discriminatory grounds. For the past 10 years, the resolution has included sexual orientation in the list of discriminatory grounds on which killings are often based.

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The European media expresses surprise at Zanzibar's calm during elections, suggests Ahmed Viriyala.

Ghana's efforts to provide universal healthcare coverage for its nearly 24 million people won the hearts of researchers and medics gathered for the world's first-ever conference on health research. A modest West African nation usually classified as just one of the few developing countries closer to meeting the UN poverty goals, Ghana has been increasing its healthcare funding in line with the Abuja declaration on healthcare funding.

Insecurity and logistical difficulties have prompted the United Nations refugee agency to relocate some 3,500 Sudanese refugees from a camp in north-eastern Central African Republic (CAR) to safer areas in the south-central part of the country. Some 500 people have been moved so far in the airlift carried out by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the CAR Government, which began last week and is expected to take about one month.

Uche Igwe attends a speech by US Senator Benjamin L. Cardin about new legislation that requires both US and internationally based companies to publish what they pay to governments for the commercial development of oil, gas and minerals.

It has 8,692 retail outlets in 15 countries and an annual turnover that exceeds South Africa’s gross domestic product by nearly $110 billion. But unions in South Africa are opposed to Wal-Mart’s expansion into southern Africa. And they’re not alone, writes Terry Bell.

Access to flexible funds, solidarity, nurturing and safe environments, and a willingness to engage for the long term are some of the key needs of movements for change, writes Hakima Abbas.

Guinea’s veteran opposition politician Alpha Conde was declared the winner of the presidential election on Tuesday last week, as losing candidate Cellou Dalein Diallo called for calm after deadly clashes. News of Mr Conde’s victory came after a tense day in which violent clashes left at least one person dead and several wounded, and allegations of election fraud from Diallo.

'Media reforms are inevitable, they are by public demand,' says the MDC Information & Publicity Department in response to permanent secretary in the Ministry of Media, Information and Publicity George Charamba's announcement that the government has no intention of issuing broadcasting licences. 'Zanu PF wants to refuse these reforms and continue with its propaganda agenda on its failed policies and rampant corruption that is now in the public domain. By maintaining the status quo and denying the entry of private broadcasters, Charamba and his masters are desperately trying to prop-up Zanu PF’s declining grip through the airwaves ahead of elections expected next year.'

Ivorians preparing for a tense presidential run-off on 28 November are hoping the fragile peace of the first round on 7 November will hold, but fear it could easily crumble as cracks begin to emerge. Having been repeatedly postponed, the long-awaited elections have so far gone relatively smoothly. International observers have broadly praised the conduct of voters and political parties. Gbagbo took 38 per cent of the vote in the first round, with former prime minister Alassane Ouattara winning 32 per cent.